I Should Really Get Mobile Broadband

I’ve noticed a change in my blogging trends of late. The free time that I wish to dedicate to blog posts finds me in areas where my connectivity is completely restricted. My work within the theatre has increased dramatically (no pun intended) over the last few weeks (I spent the last two weeks of June in preparation for and producing a run of ‘Trainspotting’ only to take last week off before starting pre-production this week on a new show for August) and the gig count is going up.

I find myself with downtime in venues and restaurants where no laptops go, or where there’s no wifi signal to be found. That said, the Watergate Theatre were kind enough to allow me use of their connection to make the occasional tweet, check email etc.

During the Trainspotting run I pulled out a piece of paper and marked all the dates for July on it noticing more Xs (away) than spaces (home) between evenings and weekends. August, not so bad.

So now I look towards a mobile broadband solution. I’ve been tempted once again by O2 and their reduced offer for the summer months (€19.99p/m and a modem for €19.99). Having spoken with Bernie Goldbach and some O2 support people, the thoughts of running a 3G sim through an iPhone are quite tempting (my desire for an iPhone exists as a secondary phone to my N95 8GB though the 3G model has me very interested).

Pat wonders why there is no interest in the 3G iPhone though I’ll agree that the price and dataplans are a pain in the arse. Is it possible to pick up a 3G iPhone away from O2 (I’m happy on my current contract, thanks) but fire a 3G datasim in there from the broadband dongle? If so, sign me up.

When I find myself in Sligo (such as this weekend and at least 2 of the next 3 weekends), my options are limited around the lake but there are healthy signals 2-3 miles away which I don’t mind the short spin in the van for.

I’ve recently added another musical promotion string to my bow so it would certainly make work life that bit easier.

Perhaps I’m just trying to convince myself to go out and get it sorted. Lifehacker’s guide to sharing your internet connection from your iPhone to your MacBook Pro also has me wondering.

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Tracking The Apple WWDC

A quick spy on TechCrunch this morning shows that Twitter have partnered with Summize to provide tracking of the Apple WWDC running in San Francisco until this Friday.

If you’re interested, you can follow the Summize output for ‘WWDC’ by clicking here or get the all encompassing feed of ‘WWDC, Apple, iPhone and Steve Jobs’ by clicking here.

The Australian Macintosh Community has live coverage available on MacTalk Australia while you can also track Macworld’s coverage here.

Though the event was sold out well in advance, Apple will be publishing sessions videos from across the week for purchase via iTunes. You can of course check the official Apple Developer Connection site for more on the WWDC.

Say Hello To 3G iPhone In Europe

If word is to be believed, we’re getting closer to the launch of the 3G iPhone in Europe, or at least the announcement of it. Of course, we’ve all known it’s been coming for months.

Engadget Mobile reports via Reuters that this Monday or Tuesday will see Italian mobile carrier TIM announce the availability of a 3G model of the iPhone, certainly something more suitable at present for potential Irish users.

Though I would be quite happy to bag an iPhone without 3G capability, the addition of the 3G service would certainly push me closer to picking one up as a second phone (yes, a *second* phone as I love my N95 a bit too much), with the option of running the iPhone as a strict data phone only.

Touch.net (translated from Italian) are reporting the launch date to be June 9/10, following an announcement from the US, presumably at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference being held in San Francisco next week.

Quadband GSM, triband HSDPA and GPS are all said to be a runner (see here) on the new model of the phone, along with a stylish new black design (black is the new black don’t you know) and a fwe aesthetic modifications.

Let’s wait and see what happens on Monday, shall we?

iPhone Ships March 14th Wearing A 1GB Cap

As mentioned earlier, the Apple iPhone has been announced by O2 and will be available to the public from March 14th 2008. The rumoured prices of €399 (8gb model) and €499 (16gb model) are also true.

Three tariffs have also been announced by O2

• €45 p/m inc 175 anytime minutes, 100 texts, 1gb data
• €65 p/m inc 350 anytime minutes, 150 texts, 1gb data
• €100 p/m inc 700 anytime minutes, 250 texts, 1gb data

Notice a trend here? The tariffs seem reasonable if you’re a heavy voice user but I know for a fact I wouldn’t be using the iPhone to make 350 minutes of calls, never mind 700 minutes. As it stands, I pay O2 €35 bucks a month for my 150 anytime minutes and 100 texts. That would make the 1gb data an extra tenner on my contract - of which I would have to sign a new, minimum 18-month term contract on an iPhone only tariff (non-transferable).

So, for €65, should I not be entitled to 3gb of data, presuming the extra 1gb costs ten euro extra a month? And what about a €100 option? Still capped out at 1gb?

Considering that O2 offer mobile broadband at €30 a month for a 10gb cap, could this not be factored into the iPhone price plan? That way at €65 I’d get 10gb worth of data, plus my 150 anytime minutes and 100 free texts. I’m not a heavy voice-user, I could live with that.

Considering the number of podcasts, photos, videos etc. I consume in any given month I’d find the 1gb cap rather restrictive - each extra megabyte costing you 2c. Small change, but it would mean I could pay anywhere up to a euro per podcast when out and about, more for videos, maps etc. General surfing, not so much a problem, but I’m a multimedia head by nature…

Apart from the 1gb cap, it is nice to see the phone finally hit the Irish market. The O2 site comes decorated with the usual Apple warnings against modifying your new iPhone or attempting to unlock it to any network.

If you do want to secure an iPhone for the 14th of March you’re going to need to visit your nearest O2 retail storing, bringing proof of ID and two crisp 50 euro notes as a deposit. If you’ve already upgraded your phone, or recently upgraded your phone, you won’t be charged an upgrade penalty to buy the iPhone (which also means that there are no discounts available to long-term contract users on the O2 network). Plus, if you’re a new customer you can start out on the iPhone or upgrade again at no penalty, once you commit to the 18 month contract.

The 18 month contract would put the cost of the phone at €810 (contract) plus the minimum €399 spend meaning you’ll have splashed out over €1200 come Autumn 2010, before you count any additional voice, SMS, voicemail, roaming or data charges.

It’d be a hell of a lot cheaper to pick up an iPhone elsewhere and jailbreak that sucker.

I’ll be the one in the corner waiting by the N95 8GB bus stop.

iPhone Announced For O2 Ireland Later This Morning

So O2 have confirmed that they are the exclusive Irish carriers of the Apple iPhone. This was pretty much a given considering O2 are the exclusive carriers in the UK.

Scouting around the blogosphere this morning, Engadget are reporting that the iPhone will

• retail at €399 inc. VAT for the 8gb model
• retail at €499 inc. VAT for the 16gb model
• will go public on Patrick’s weekend (launching March 14th)

The suggested price range is quite reasonable, all things considered. It also places the phone in the immediate price bracket of the Nokia N95, the first gen of which O2 are still shipping - though recent conversations I’ve had with O2 reps and other Irish bloggers suggest the N95 8GB model’s arrival is imminent.

I’m still set on swinging for the N95 8GB model but we’ll see what comes out of this morning’s announcements.

Update 1: Announcement to be made at 11:15am in O2’s Dublin HQ (via Damien Mulley)

Update 2: Pocket Lint are reporting that “Three new iPhone tariffs will be available from O2, starting at €45, all of which will include anytime minutes, texts and a 1GB data bundle.”

MAXroam To Launch Today

Previewed at TechCrunch40, Cork-based MAXroam (formerly roam4free) launches later today with Cubic Telecom getting its launch next month.

Kickoff for MAXroam looks set to be midday (12pm GMT) today and if you purchase a MAXroam sim, something I intend to do as I’ll be traveling in November this year along with trips to Toronto and possibly San Francisco in the New Year, you might win yourself an iPhone. Not only that, but the iPhone is unlocked so you’ll have no problem using your new MAXroam sim or your own Irish sim.

Mention of a blogger program too… curiosity has got me there but I’m sure most, if not all, will be revealed at 12 today.

Update: Site launched before midday, grabbed myself a sim card. For €29.99 with €5 credit, the price is great considering the savings it can create.

Apple iPhone For UK On November 9th - Some Points To Note

I almost forgot about this one this morning until skimming the Guardian over breakfast, but Apple have announced the iPhone for the UK, with a release date of November 9th. Here’s some points to note from the press coverage this morning…

• The iPhone will retail at £269 (€386) and will be carried, as previously suggested, by O2
• There will be no discount on the handset
• First-time buyers subject to minimum 18 month contract with O2
• Steve Jobs wouldn’t talk revenue share
• Subscribers in UK will have bundled access to 7,500 WiFi spots - what does that leave Irish market?
• No 3G
• 80% of O2’s “high value customers” would love an iPhone, not necessarily buy an iPhone
• Contracts start from £35 (€50) per month including unlimited data
• EDGE and WiFi all the way
• UK only today, other European countries within the next quarter…

As much as I have a love for all things Apple, there’s still not enough in an iPhone to sway me, plus no concrete details on a rollout within the Irish market. Did someone tell me the Nokia N95 8GB model is hitting the shelves here around the same time?

iPhone Fever Set To Grip The UK?

It looks like the UK are going to get an iPhone announcement. At least that what you might believe upon the readings. The invitations extended for the press event on the 18th (next Tuesday) bear resemblance to those issued for the recent US event which saw the price drop of the iPhone, launch of iPod Touch, revamp of iPod Classic and a whole lot more.

Telefonica look set to be the iPhone carriers for the Spanish market with O2 (part of Telefonica) carrying the iPhone in the UK. Vodafone are giving the N95 8GB model a big Christmas push in the UK (along with with the Samsung SGH-F700V and Sony Ericsson W910i) and look to be gearing up for a nice battle with O2 - what oh what could they be battling against?

What I want to know is, what’s the story with Ireland? If, as anticipated, the UK gets an iPhone release date on Tuesday next, can we expect that this date and subsequently the mobile carrier, will be reflected in Ireland?

Either way you look at it, iPhone announcement or not, I reckon we’re set for some interesting Apple talk this coming Tuesday.

An Irish iPhone Review

I failed to pick up an MMS yesterday from John who later informed me via GoogleTalk that he’s been testing the Apple iPhone down in Waterford. Damn you! Looks like he’s also been reading my tweets on it - or at least someone has.

The impact?

You’ve all seen the touchscreen demos. It’s even better when you’re doing it yourself. The keyboard is so simple a child could use it and after a few moments you’ll be thinking ‘buttons? what buttons? who needs buttons’

I didn’t have long enough with the phone to go into a detailed review. I can honestly say though, having used the iPhone for a few minutes, I want one. I can already see how would be lost without it.

I’m looking forward to seeing it hit the Irish market either at the end of this year or the beginning of next year and with O2 now the likely operator it will make the upgrade and purchase decision all the easier.

Pay As You Go iPhone - Kiss The Contract Goodbye

If you can pick yourself up an iPhone somewhere in the US, it looks like you might get away on the two year contract deal with AT&T - the iPhone is available on pre-pay.

A read around the web this morning and one of my favourite Mac blogs (TUAW) reveals news that hackers have made the iPhone available on a pre-paid option allowing you to run your iPhone on an AT&T pre-paid card for as little as US$10.

What it means to iPhone users in the US is that you can use any Cingular / AT&T sim card in your iPhone, whether contract-based or pre-paid. If you’re on the low budget Cingular plans you can avail of cheaper text messaging ($0.05 send and receive compared to $0.15 on iPhone plan).

Could it be the first step to unlocking the iPhone completely? Quite possibly! Give it a read here - iPhone + Disposable Cellphone + Prepaid Cards + New Activation Tool = Holy Cow